The Ritz-Carlton Maldives’ Mariyam Shaghaf wins Forbes Travel Guide top honour

Mariyam Shaghaf of The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands has been named the 2026 Forbes Travel Guide Employee of the Year, adding another international accolade to a growing list of recognitions for the Maldivian guest services professional.

In an announcement shared by the resort, The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands said it was “immensely proud” to celebrate Shaghaf—known on-island as an Aris Meeha—for an award it described as “an extraordinary distinction honouring service at its finest.” The statement praised her “unwavering dedication, sincere warmth, and intuitive care,” noting that her approach “transforms every interaction into a meaningful memory.”

The latest honour follows Shaghaf’s recognition at the Hotelier Maldives Awards 2025, where she was named ‘Concierge and Guest Services Personality of the Year’—an achievement she previously described as “incredibly humbling.” In a Hotelier Maldives profile published in July 2025, Shaghaf said the award represented more than personal recognition, calling it “a reflection of the love, passion, and purpose” she brings to her role.

At The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, the Aris Meeha role is positioned as a culturally rooted expression of service—“more than a butler,” the profile notes—designed to blend Maldivian tradition with the expectations of contemporary luxury travellers. Shaghaf described the work as built around connection and anticipation: “We don’t just serve—we anticipate, personalise, and connect,” she said, adding that the role includes storytelling that shares Maldivian culture while building lasting relationships with guests.

Her service philosophy is summed up in a line that has since become closely associated with her approach: “If a guest has to ask for something, the moment is already lost.” For Shaghaf, anticipating needs is not simply operational excellence, but an emotional craft—one that can turn small details into enduring memories.

The Hotelier Maldives profile recounts several examples of that “intuitive care,” including a bespoke keepsake created for a couple returning to the resort to celebrate their wedding. Shaghaf said she sourced a photograph from their photographer and produced a framed skymap capturing the stars above the resort at the exact moment of the ceremony, presenting it on departure—an unexpected gesture she said left the guests visibly moved. In another instance, she created a custom Ritz-Carlton “passport” for a young guest—complete with personalised details and a resort stamp—after he declared the Fari Islands property his favourite among the brand’s hotels.

Shaghaf’s journey in hospitality began in 2013 at Cheval Blanc Randheli, where she worked as a housekeeping coordinator. She recalled a formative moment assisting a visiting etiquette and protocol trainer from France, who encouraged her towards a butler path—guidance that helped shape a service style anchored in empathy and precision.

The Forbes Travel Guide recognition also arrives in a year when The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands itself has been highlighted in the 2026 Forbes Travel Guide Star Awards, having been named a Five-Star hotel for the fourth consecutive year, according to a separate Hotelier Maldives report on the 2026 ratings. The annual Star Awards are issued by Forbes Travel Guide, which describes itself as an independent global rating system that places strong emphasis on service, based on anonymous inspections and objective criteria

For Shaghaf, the recognition reinforces a view she has often shared with young professionals considering guest services: that excellence starts with intention. “You have to fall in love with service first,” she said in the 2025 profile. “It’s not about the idea of luxury—it’s about the joy of creating unforgettable moments for others.”